The Big Ten was the story of week two as the top four teams won by a combined score of 195-44. After a shocking win over then-No. 5 LSU, the No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers solidified their place in the top tier of college football with a 54-10 walloping of Akron. It would have been easy for the Badgers to lose their focus following such a huge upset, but instead they outperformed expectations at the expense of the Zips.
No. 3 Ohio State embarrassed Tulsa 48-3 as the Buckeyes fight for the top spot in the Daily Cardinal power rankings. Despite the lopsided score, OSU quarterback J.T. Barrett was surprisingly underwhelming, completing just 14-of-22 passes for 149 yards and no touchdowns. The Buckeyes are a fantastic team, but to be sure they’ll need better play from their Heisman-caliber superstar if they want to make a push for the College Football Playoffs.
No. 4 Michigan was again perfect on the field as they backed up a 63-3 whitewashing of Hawaii with a 51-14 dusting of Central Florida. After a few down years under Brady Hoke, head coach Jim Harbaugh has the Wolverines right back in the thick of the playoff hunt.
The race for the Big Ten East looks like it will come down to a Nov. 26 clash between Michigan and the Buckeyes. Aside from the playoff implications, that game will provide fans with a masterful display of football.
Elsewhere, the ever-dominant SEC seems to be slipping slightly; only No. 1 Alabama ranks inside the top ten, and the next highest-ranked team—No. 15 Tennessee—barely scraped by Appalachian State in overtime in week one.
Of course, the Crimson Tide more than made up for the lack of depth in the SEC with another near-perfect defensive performance. They gave up their first touchdown of the season at the tail end of the fourth quarter of their game against Western Kentucky and have now outscored opponents 90-16 on the year.
Despite missing Heisman candidate quarterback Greg Ward Jr., No. 6 Houston also looked perfect against hapless Lamar. Even the lopsided scoreline, 42-0, doesn’t do justice to the dominance displayed by the Cougars, who ended the day with three rushers with over 100 yards on the ground.
Championship-hopeful Florida State jumped a spot to No. 2 this week after obliterating Charleston Southern 52-8. Heisman candidate running back Dalvin Cook looked as dominant as ever, rushing for 83 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries.
The Seminoles will have their first real test of the season this week when they travel to Louisville to take on the No. 10 Cardinals, who looked unstoppable against Syracuse last Friday. Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson shredded the Orange defense to the tune of five touchdowns and 610 total yards, an ACC record.
No. 24 Arkansas jumped into the rankings this week after a surprising 41-38 win over then-No. 15 TCU. Head coach Bret Bielema has Arkansas in the national conversation after a few rebuilding years thanks to a dominant offense and a serviceable defense.
After plummeting through the rankings after its loss to the Badgers, No. 20 LSU stabilized itself with a drab 34-13 victory over Jacksonville State of the FCS. Heisman favorite Leonard Fournette sat the game out with an injury, while starting quarterback Brandon Harris was forced into a backseat role in favor of Danny Etling, who completed just 6-of-14 passes for only 100 yards.
Entering the season with championship dreams, the Tigers’ playoff hopes have all but evaporated in two short weeks thanks to poor performances in back-to-back games.
College football’s best opening weekend ever was followed by somewhat of a letdown; blowout after blowout led to a dull slate of games. Thankfully, for many teams, next week will begin conference play and end the monotony of powerhouses blasting third-tier programs. Football is about to get serious, so buckle up.
